The invention relates generally to systems for enhancing data contents provided to a user from an embedded system, and more specifically to a system for delivering high bandwidth, varied help information to a user for an embedded system in a network switch.
As microprocessors have become increasingly inexpensive, they have become commonly used in devices or products other than traditional computer systems. When a microprocessor is included within a system which has a primary, dedicated function other than general purpose computing, and where that primary function is substantially performed by other components of the device acting independently from the microprocessor, that microprocessor is said to be part of a subsystem that is "embedded" within the device. Some typical characteristics of embedded systems are that (1) they have a limited set of resources, (2) the resources they have are not easily extensible, and (3) they are required to perform "real-time" operations. Examples of embedded systems are in input output (I/O) controllers which interface an I/O device to a general purpose computer, network controllers which interface a general purpose computer to a computer network, and dedicated communications devices such as network switches, bridges and routers. Recently, embedded systems have been included within less sophisticated products. Such products for example include some types of home appliances, such as security systems, fire alarms, and entertainment systems.
The cost of the embedded system designs must generally be kept low with relation to the overall product cost. For this reason, the amount of memory typically included to store instructions or data within an embedded system is relatively limited.
A function typically performed by such embedded systems is to provide information to a user regarding how to use, configure and potentially trouble-shoot a device. For example, an embedded system in a network switch may be responsible for communicating with a user regarding how the internal resources of the switch can be set-up for various network topologies. The embedded system may also be responsible for communicating with a user regarding how to diagnose problems encountered while using the product. At the same time, the methods available for user communications, and specifically the types of data that are used to communicate with a user, are becoming more varied. Multimedia content is increasingly the standard for user level communications, including for example, digitized video and sound together with highly complex graphics. However, such rich information formats typically require large data files to store the data which is eventually communicated to the user. In addition, users prefer an interface including varied types of multimedia information. As a consequence, the amount of memory available within the embedded systems of existing devices is insufficient to store the data files needed to support the rich and varied user communications which are becoming more and more prevalent.
When multiple devices of the same type are in use, and such devices use common data files related to user communications, issues arise in coordinating the updates of such content files, in order to ensure that users are presented with a consistent description of the device's operation. Moreover, the information provided to users of the multiple devices should be processible on various types of client systems. In other words, the embedded system must be able to support communications with users on various client systems on a platform independent basis. Update synchronization and varied platform support problems are exacerbated by the minimal resources available in typical embedded systems.
Thus it would be desirable to have a system for providing information to multiple client platforms from an embedded system, where the system is capable of providing large amounts of varied types of data, including data in multimedia formats, such as sound and video.